This invention relates generally to covers and, more particularly, to a flexible cover having multiple bladders for positioning the cover atop a mound of particulate material so as to protect the material from the effects of weather elements.
Particulate material, such as sand, salt, grain, or other silage, is often stored outside in open areas unprotected from weather elements such as wind and rain. These weather elements may cause erosion of the mound and ultimately result in a degradation of the material""s quality as well as a loss in the mound""s quantity through run-off.
Many covers have been proposed in the art for protecting either a mound of particulate material or other objects such as automobiles. Specifically, a cover for protecting particulate material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,029 to which a plurality of automobile tires may be attached for maintaining the cover""s position on the mound. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices are not easy to position or use and do not provide for being held securely in selected configurations.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a cover which can be easily spread or positioned and then easily increased in weight such that the position on the mound is maintained. Further, it is desirable to have a cover in which the weight may be easily and quickly adjusted such that the cover may be folded or reconfigured.
A cover according to the present invention includes a flexible, double-ply canvas having a top layer fixedly attached to a bottom layer. A plurality of separate bladders, each capable of containing water, are disposed between the layers and are connected with flexible conduit. Each bladder further includes an inlet conduit with a check valve such that a hose connected to a water source may be coupled to a selected inlet conduit to fill a respective bladder. A pressure-actuated check valve is disposed within each flexible conduit which enables water from an upstream bladder to flow through a respective flexible conduit into an adjacent downstream bladder. The bladders are arranged in two completely separate series, each bladder within a series being spaced apart and parallel to each of the other bladders of that series. Therefore, connecting a water source to the inlet conduit of the most upstream bladder of a series allows all of the bladders within that series to be filled as water flows from an upstream bladder to a downstream bladder through respective pressure-actuated check valves. The two series of bladders are disposed along the longitudinal edges of the canvas such that the bladders, when filled with water, provide the ballast necessary to hold the cover in position over a mound of particulate material.
The cover further includes a plurality of T-handles or knobs extending upwardly from an inner surface of the bottom canvas layer and through the top layer. A plurality of straps extends from the outer surface of the bottom layer, each strap opposite a knob. Each bladder includes a discharge conduit and as one or more bladders are drained, the canvas may be folded or rolled up. The straps corresponding to drained bladder may be coupled to appropriate knobs such that the cover may be held in a desired position. Therefore, the cover may be easily reconfigured as portions of the mound are removed.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a cover for protecting a mound of particulate material in outside storage from the effects of weather elements.
Another object of this invention is to provide a cover, as aforesaid, having a plurality of spaced apart bladders disposed between the canvas layers which may be inflated with water so as to hold the cover in a desired position upon a particulate mound.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a cover, as aforesaid, in which the plurality of bladders are connected for fluid flow such that multiple bladders may be filled from a single water source.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a cover, as aforesaid, in which each bladder may be filled with water or drained individually.
A further object of this invention is to provide a cover, as aforesaid, which is flexible and may be folded or rolled when respective bladders have been drained.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.